Andy Bey : Celestial Blues, You Should’ve Seen The Way I Made Love To You, and Tune Up
all taken from the album “Experience & Judgement” on Atlantic (1974)

For the past three years I’ve been practicing yoga. I have to give credit here to a certain lovable partner of mine (who happens to be a yoga teacher) for pushing me into it at first. But at this point, I don’t see myself ever stopping. Part of the reason why it was so easy to embrace “yogic” teachings and philosophy is because it falls right in line with what I had already basically come to understand about the world since about 5th grade. I’m not trying to sound like a kiddie guru here, it’s just that the fundamentals are really simple. For me, at least, it’s about not harming others, not harming yourself, and working hard to be your absolute best– liberated, content, and healthy. Just makes sense, don’t it?

It definitely made sense to Andy Bey. This album is nearly a soundtrack to the Yoga Sutras. But funkdafied, and not in sanskrit. Amidst the bass slaps, synth swells and sparse snare snaps, Bey’s voice undulates with spiritually driven individuality. Listening to his unearthly moans, I can see why the cover artist decided to put Saturn’s rings around his monkish dome. His lyrics speak about vegetarianism, meditation, difficult physical postures, and the resulting increased “concentration– waves and waves of positive vibration”. And yes, it is a good thing for lovemaking too. ; )

Orchestre Du Baobab: Kelen Ati Len
Originally released on the album “Visage Du Senegaal” (1975) and re-released as a 7″ on Soundway (2006)

Manny Corchado: Pow Wow
Originally released on the album “Aprovecha El Tiempo” on Decca (196?) and re-released on Jazzman (2006)

In general, I like to see myself as the architect of my destiny. There’s that lovely quote from Invictus (the poem not the record label, dorks), which I carried around with me for a number of years: “I am the captain of my fate, I am the master of my soul.” But on the other side of the coin, there’s that old adage: “What’s done is done.” A bit trite, to be sure, but founded on a substantive (albeit fatalistic) truth: that what’s behind us is now beyond our control, with what lies before us–our immediate future–the ineluctable result.

Maybe this is wierd, but I’ll just come right out and say it, Oprah-style: I worry less about myself and my own bunglings than the petty mistakes of others. I fret deeply about the imperiled course of my fellow man, and, to be perfectly frank, from time to time I actually lose sleep over the inane gaffes of strangers.

For example. The mighty Soundway Records recently reissued this Baobab track, which, granted, is one of the most LAVA-HOT BANGERS in the history of space and time. However. There is simply no excuse for dropping a hard-earned Benjamin Franklin for a re-pressed 45 that came out fewer than six months ago–and I don’t care how limited the pressing. Such was the inexplicable boner executed by some credulous Ebay-er a few weeks back, and I’ll be damned if I’m not thinking about it still. What a knuckle-head! Get the CD you big dope! Or, while you’re at it, flaunting your Big Willie cheddar, why don’t you just make it two bills and buy a nice copy of the original LP? But then, what’s done is done…

Anyhow, this post is for that kid: a hundred dollars poorer, and, I hope, pleased as goddamn pie with his acquisition. Way to go, buddy!

Ps. The Manny Corchado joint is another recently repressed classic that, hopefully, nobody is selling their kidney to purchase. Enjoy that.

Pps. I fully recognize that to spend this much time both perusing Ebay and thinking about other people’s finances legitmately qualifies me as a loser. But f— it. I’m the master of my soul, bitches.

Freedom : Ayibobo and Voodoo Land
taken from the album “1804 Liberation” on Freedom Recordz (2004)

I’m running around like crazy right now getting ready for a trip to Puerto Rico, but I wanted to leave you all with a little something before I’m neck deep in latin records again. Soulful and stirring new music from a conscious Haitian visionary. The whole album hits with a nice mixture of Bone Thugs, Wyclef, and MC Solar. Read more about Christopher Laroche aka Freedom and get some free mixtape tracks on his official website. And Check out this website for some song translations.

Also, congratulations to the Vikter Duplaix CD winners: Amye Hommel, John-Paul Marin, and Guy Ship. It might take a little minute before you get them, so please be patient. A lot of other folks wrote in with the right answer (Axis Music Group), but these guys beat you to it. Thanks for all the kind feedback too, I always appreciate it!

Vikter Duplaix : Nothing Like Your Touch
taken from the album “Bold & Beautiful” on BBE (2006)

Owusu & Hannibal : Blue Jay
taken from the album “Living With…” on Ubiquity (2006)

New music from a soulful Philly man who’s been doing it for a minute. Clear, fluid production from cats like James Poyser helps me come to terms with the revival of the synth. This track sounds like it’s slowly bubbling. Steamy sex in a science lab. And of course, Mr. Duplaix’s vocals are sounding as smooth and effortless as ever. The kind folks over at Giant Step, who first hipped me to this track, have been gracious enough to offer several copies of Vikter’s new CD Bold & Beautiful to giveaway to you lovely readers. Be one of the first to answer this question (NOT in the COMMENTS section) and you’ll have a nice little musical package on it’s way:

What’s the name of the music production group that Vikter helped start?

send answers via e-mail to: charlie@bywayof.net

And, then there’s this new album from some Danish doods who were entirely off my radar until a couple days ago. The record is a truly unique amalgamation of elements: retro 80’s drum sounds, crunchy Detroit bass synths, swelling string and vocal harmonies, and super-swingin’ broken-ass beats. There’s a track called “Delirium” that sounds, at least instrumentally, like a tribute to the late great Dilla. Definitely some Spacek influence here as well. The end product, however, shows they’ve got their own thing going on– in the shifting arrangements and creative organic touches. I think it’s safe to say I’m gonna be listening to this one quite a bit.

Bobby Cruz con Ricardo Ray : Get It All
taken from the album the album “Amor En La Escuela” Vaya (1974)

Jaime Delgado Aparicio y su Orquesta : 57th Street
Enrique Lynch y su Conjunto : Oye Como Va
both taken from the collection “Puros Exitos” on Sono Radio (197?)

Grupo Folklorico y Experimental Nuevayorquino : Trompeta N Curero
taken from the album “Lo Dice Todo” on Mericana/Salsoul (1976)

The random nature of what turns up at the flea market is at least half of the appeal. Sure, you can go on e-bay and type in exactly what you’re looking for again and again until it pops up. You can post “wants” lists, you can ask at every record store you see, or… you can take a sunny stroll through the flea market, stopping at sidewalk sales along the way, and find brilliant things you never knew you wanted.

Entirely deserving of at least several posts all unto themselves, Bobby Cruz and Ricardo aka “Richie” Ray have been known to throw in a little funky flavor here and there, but I didn’t know they had anything like this break-laden gem in their catalogue. Mostly an album of moody ballads (some of which are quite nice), I was hoping to find maybe an uptempo salsa track or a jala-jala throwback. But “Get It All” is way more than I could have anticipated: fuzz guitar, tambourine, cowbell breakbeat, “let it all hang out” lyrics, screams, and the real kicker– a switch into spanish at the end! At $2, I was more than willing to test the odds. Jackpot.

Then there’s a couple Peruvian (I think, judging by the Sono Radio label) grooves. “57th Street” sounds like a standard of some type, but I can’t place it. Latin jazz with what reminds me of a young Idris Muhammed on drum kit. Enrique Lynch is a name that I actually knew to look out for. However, given the scarcity of his records in these northern-hemispheric parts of the globe, I don’t tend to keep him in mind. I like his version of the Tito Puente classic. He’s clearly ripping off Santana in every way, but somehow this version is a little more latin groove and less rock ‘n’ roll (again, no diss to Santana). It’s probably that guiro that I love so much. Trombone solo is a nice touch too.

And finally, some real roots music from a group I hold in very high regard. If the cover doesn’t rope you in, then knowledge of this masterpiece surely would. Listening to this helps me prep for the Candela Art & Music Festival that I’m going to again this year. “Pa’ Puerto Rico yo me voy!”

Nancy Sinatra: These Boots Were Made For Walkin’
Taken from the album Boots on Reprise

James Brown: Get On The Good Foot
Taken from the album Get On The Good Foot on Polydor

Big Daddy Kane: Ain’t No Half Steppin’
Taken from the 12″ on Cold Chillin’

Fats Waller: Your Feet’s Too Big
Taken from the album Greatest Hits on RCA

These are dark days. And this is how I say, Poor me.

Late last night, I had finally lined up a tasty little smattering of danceable tunes for this week’s post… and then it hit me– I can’t dance. Hell, I can’t walk. I can’t even shuffle. So $%#! the fonky booty shakers. I want the world to know my pain.

To that end, I decided to convey my throbbing invalidity with a handful of songs that, doing little to decrease my hyper-acute self-pity, at least make very clear where the problem lies.

Dance it up, Jerks. Get on the Good Foot! Half-Step with Daddy Kane! See if I care. I’ll be in my bedroom watching Golden Girls re-runs, tears welled in the corners of my eyes.